Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Parents Sentenced In Child Rape Case

   A Lawrence County couple entered into a plea bargain agreement Monday rather than standing trial on charges of raping their child.

   Charges of rape of a child, assault and incest were brought against father William Thaniel Ray, while wife Rebecca A. Ray was charged with rape of a child and incest. The charges were brought after the couple’s minor child made allegations of sexual abuse against the couple.

   In conjunction with the plea bargain agreement, William Ray entered a guilty plea to the lesser charge of attempted rape of a child. The remaining charges were subsequently dismissed. Under the terms of the agreement Ray was sentenced to serve eleven years incarcerated through the Tennessee Department of Corrections. The agreement allowed Ray to be sentenced as a Range One Offender. As such he will be required to serve thirty percent of his sentence, or 3 1/3 years, imprisoned before becoming eligible for parole consideration.

   Rebecca Ray entered a plea of guilty to the lesser charge of child neglect. The incest charge was dismissed. Under the agreement, she received an eleven month, twenty-nine day suspended sentence and will serve her total sentence on probation.

 

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